Device for Facilitating Maintenance of a Trackball

1. A device, comprising: a trackball, the trackball having a movable part, and a body inside which the movable part can move, the trackball delivering an item of information on the orientation of the movable part relative to the body, a ring attached to the body end preventing the movable part from losing contact with the body, and a seal placed in the ring, the device also comprising a cover inside which the trackball is attached, the cover being separate from the body and comprising an opening allowing the movable part of the trackball to appear in order to operate the movable part from outside the cover, the ring forming maintenance means of the trackball, the maintenance means comprising means for gaining access to the maintenance means from outside the cover, in that the means for gaining access to the maintenance means comprises a window removably attached to the cover so as to gain access to the maintenance means by removing the window and without removing the trackball from the cover, the cover having a portion configured for an operator to rest a palm of a hand thereon in a manner wherein the palm is ergonomically supported and wherein fingers of the hand are free to engage the movable part of the trackball.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the window has the shape of a disk with a hole therein and in that the hole forms the opening of the cover.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the hole has a shape matching the shape of the movable part so as to limit the penetration of particles inside the cover.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising means of emptying out particles penetrating inside the cover between the window and the trackball.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the emptying means comprise a collector collecting all the particles.

6. The device as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising means of emptying out particles penetrating inside the cover between the window and the trackball.

7. The device as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising means of emptying out particles penetrating inside the cover between the window and the trackball.

8. The device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the trackball comprises a ring attached to the body and preventing the movable part from losing contact with the body.

9. The device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the trackball comprises a ring attached to the body and preventing the movable part from losing contact with the body.

10. The device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the trackball comprises a ring attached to the body and preventing the movable part from losing contact with the body.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a ring, which is separate from the window, is attached to the body and is configured to prevent the movable part from losing contact with the body.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movable element is a ball.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the window comprises a disk in which the opening through which a portion of the movable part of the trackball is exposed, is formed.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the trackball forms part of an aircraft instrument panel.

15. The device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the ring belongs to the maintenance means.